Oxford college launches inquiry after historian ‘no-platformed’

Outcry over exclusion of feminist academic barred from speaking following trans activists’ protests

AN OXFORD college has launched an investigation into a “no-platforming” row in which a female historian was barred from a feminist event.

Exeter College hosted an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ruskin College’s inaugural Women’s Liberation Conference.

Prof Selina Todd, an expert in the history of working-class women, had helped to organise the summit by enlisting the support of Oxford’s history faculty, which provided facilitators and funding. She was due to speak at the event, which took place on Saturday, but the evening before she was told that her invitation had been rescinded.

The academic has been accused of being a “transphobe” for her advocacy of women’s rights and for her teaching of feminist history.

Her research suggests that women who posed as men in the past were often lesbians seeking to protect themselves, or did so because they want to do jobs that were only available to men.

Earlier this year it emerged that she had been given security guards to accompany her to lectures after receiving threats from transgender activists.

Prof Todd, who was uninvited from the conference after other speakers threatened to withdraw if her speech went ahead, said she was “shocked”.

The row deepened when Prof John Watts, the chair of Oxford’s history faculty, also withdrew from the event in solidarity with Prof Todd.

Now Exeter College has launched an investigation into the “no-platforming” of Prof Todd, after a formal complaint was submitted by journalist Toby

Young on behalf of the Free Speech Union. Mr Young set up the organisation earlier this year as a way to counter “censorship” of lawful views.

In a letter to Sir Rick Trainor, the Rector of Exeter College, Mr Young pointed out that this was a “clear breach” of their own code of practice, which says all events held on college premises must ensure free speech is upheld. He also said it was in breach of their legal duty to uphold free speech.

“As far as I am aware, no one connected with the college made an effort to ensure Prof Todd’s freedom of speech was protected,” he said.

He added that when fellow speakers threatened to withdraw, the event’s organisers should have “told them that they would not be bullied” into dropping Prof Todd.

Sir Edward Leigh, the Tory MP for Gainsborough, has also written to the universities minister asking her to investigate.

An Exeter College spokesman said it has received a complaint about the event “which will be reviewed in accordance with our complaints and appeals procedures”.

Oxford’s Faculty of History said it had been pleased to support the event, but added that it withdrew its support when Prof Todd’s invitation to speak was rescinded. “We cannot accept the exclusion of our respected colleague Professor Selina Todd from the event, and that means we withdrew from the weekend’s celebration,” a spokesman said.

An Exeter College spokesman said that the College “played no role” in decisions about the event’s programme or speakers.

‘No one connected with the college made an effort to ensure Prof Todd’s freedom of speech was protected’